


Friendship Isn't Easy

by Cloud_Drizzle



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Past, Post-Movie
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-20
Updated: 2019-09-20
Packaged: 2020-10-24 13:24:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20706728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cloud_Drizzle/pseuds/Cloud_Drizzle
Summary: Spinel struggles with friendship as the Diamonds press her for information about a previously unknown rebellion that Spinel had almost been apart of.





	1. Walk & Talk

Homeworld is finally a place of peace and freedom. No gem is forced to serve or concur planets. Every gem had a choice, a chance to choose what they WANT to do. Pearls don't have to serve their owners, Lapises don't have to terraform, Amethysts don't have to be guards. It was finally how it was meant to be. 

Free. 

After Steven Quartz Universe created peace and left Homeworld, things were quiet for a bit. 

Yet only a day or two later, a new gem was brought into the Palace and living with the Diamonds. Not everyone liked that change- well, most didn't like the change- but over time gems learned to accept Spinel's new place in the Palace. 

Except for Spinel herself.

When she first arrived at the Palace she finally felt at home. She finally had someone to love and love her. As time went by she slowly felt more and more lonely.

Sure the Diamonds and her get along fine, but this wasn't the friendship Spinel wanted. She wanted someone to relate to. Of course she can relate to the Diamonds, they all desperately miss Pink and want someone to replace that void, but that was all. Their "friendship" was simply a way to fill a missing hole. There was no actual friendship there. 

And it was killing Spinel.

Not only that, but being in the Palace meant she had actual responsibilities. Responsibilities that she didn't even understand. The Diamonds mostly did everything that she was meant to do, but she felt useless.

Spinel hated the Palace. The closest thing to friends she had were the little Pebbles that lived in Pink's Palace that was given to Spinel when she first arrived. 

But they weren't friends either, not the kind she wanted anyways. Sure they got along and cared about the wellbeing of each other, but something was missing. And Spinel couldn't figure out what. 

Spinel sat atop Yellow Diamond's shoulder as she and the Diamonds strolled around Homeworld. 

When Spinel first arrived at Homeworld, she requested that the Diamonds show her around. Things really do change after 6,000 years Spinel decided on their first walk.

Ever since then, they began having daily walks with each other. Who knew that simply walking around Homeworld would be this fun? It was nice watching every gem live their own lives for once. 

"So Spinel," Yellow Diamond's voice yanked Spinel out of her memories, "We've been meaning to ask you this for a while, but what we're you even doing on Earth?"

"Yes," Blue Diamond chirped in, "you explained that you never left your garden, what made you decide to finally leave?"

"Oh," Spinel awkwardly laughed. It was about time they'd ask that, she had been here for almost two weeks now, "Well you see I saw Steven's broadcast and realized that Pink was dead, so I..." Spinel cleared her throat, "tried to you know... Kill him... and the Earth..." 

"But why? What is there to gain from that?" Yellow questioned. 

"Honestly I get wanting to destroy the Earth- it's disgusting- but why Steven?" White spoke, finally joining in on the conversation.

"I don't know..." Spinel paused, attempting to find the right words, "I didn't really give myself time to... Uh... Figure out my emotions, I suppose," she looked down, ashamed of what she tried to do, "I just was angry and lost. When I get the injector and rejuvenator all I wanted to do was take my anger out."

"Say..." Yellow paused, eying Spinel suspiciously, "where does a gem like you acquire things like that?"

Spinel flinched back at that, "a gem... Like me?" She didn't know what Yellow meant by that, but it made Spinel feel small and weak. 

"It's just that we threw all those out for Steven two years ago!" Blue exclaimed.

"And no one has seen any of them since!" White added on.

Spinel felt like she was being accused by the only people who care about her, "Look, some gems just gave them to me, don't worry about it. But what did you mean by-"

"Some gems gave you it?!" It felt like White stared holes into Spinel. She slouched down.

"Did-did I say that?" Spinel laughed, more terrified than awkward.

White picked the pink gem up off of Yellow's shoulder and held her gently in the palms of her hands, "Spinel, this is a serious matter. Tell us who gave you these things. We've worked harder than ever the last two years to create peace on Homeworld. If there are gems going against that, we need to know immediately."

Spinel knew she needed to be honest and tell the Diamonds about who gave her these dangerous, life threatening objects, but she couldn't bring herself to. She knew how dangerous this situation was, but she didn't want to be the reason some gems got hurt. Even if they were planning to hurt others. Spinel didn't want to be the reason anyone hurts anymore, she was tired of it. 

Spinel's eyes met White's gaze. 

"I can't tell you" Spinel finally spoke. 

"You do realize how important this is, right?" Yellow spoke from below. 

Spinel sighed, "I don't even remember who it was! Just some gems that hated Steven and didn't like the new ways"

White realized she wouldn't get any closer to knowing what's going on by pushing Spinel. White slowly placed Spinel back where she was earlier, atop Yellow's shoulder.

"Can we go back to the Palace now?" Spinel's strained voice whispered, her arms stretched and wrapped around her like a blanket.


	2. Spilled Spaghetti

Spinel paced around "her" Diamond Palace. Everywhere she looked was pink, pink, pink. There was no other colours. Pink walls, pink floor, pink ceiling... Granted, she liked the colour pink. But after a while, all it did was remind her of... Pink...

The pink gem stopped moving her tired legs and sat down upon the pink floor. Pointing over everything that is pink was Spinel's favourite pass time. What else was there to do?

Spinel wrapped herself up in her arms like a blanket. She had been doing that a lot recently, this "blanket" felt like a nice hug, a nice comforting hug. Spinel wrapped herself tighter. As if someone would want to hug a gem like me, she thought. 

Spinel didn't know how long or when she started lying on the cold, hard floor, but she decided it was comfy enough. hat least it wasn't uncomfy, as Spinel would have got up if it was. 

Running out of things to do or think about, she decided to reflect on today's earlier events. The Diamonds had asked her how she had acquired her weapons. Spinel had freaked out and refused to answer, only spiraling things to be worse for her. It was if Spinel was unable to find true happiness. 

Spinel thought that the new rebel group of gems were her friends, but they were only focused on getting rid of Steven. This group seemed dangerous. Full of gems that were set on the old ways, gems who certainly hated a specific 16 year old half-gem, half-human child who brought peace to Homeworld. Everyone knows Steven, but not everyone loves him. 

Spinel desperately tried to remember who was in the rebel group. She had only been there for a few hours at most, so remembering was quite hard. 

The first gem she could remember was an Aquamarine. She had told Spinel that Steven had ruined her life, she was a very high up gem and was even close to getting her own Pearl at one point. But because of Steven, everything she ever cared about was brutally ripped away from her. 

"He would just go on and on about peace and how everyone could do what they want and be what they want!" The Aquamarine scoffed, "but what I WANT is the old ways!"

Spinel didn't understand much of what Aquamarine was going on about, but her passion spoke to Spinel. 

Aquamarine looked at the pink gem, eyeing her up and down in a perplexed manner, "What even are you? You look like some weird... Clown..."

"I don't know what a clown is- but I'm Spinel! I am Pink Diamonds best friend!" Spinel chirped happily, "Well... was..." She corrected herself, arms drooping down the ground like a spilled bowl of spaghetti.

"You- you worked for Pink Diamond?!" Aquamarine flinched back with shock and amazement, only the receive a pitiful look from Spinel, who was slowly melting onto the ground to wallow in her sadness.

"Yeah, well... That was until she left me in a garden in the middle of space for 6,000 years..." Spinel studies the ground as her body drooped even more to the ground, stretching and melting in ways most gems cannot. 

Aquamarine smiled mischievously, a metaphorical light bulb above her head, "Wow, I can't believe Pink Diamond would do that to you! You must be furious!"

"I guess..." Spinel said, barely listening to the flying blue gem at this point. 

"I bet you'd like to get revenge on her for leaving you on a rock for 6,000 years wouldn't you?" Aquamarine's body tilting to the side with her movements, attempting- and succeeding- in looking as innocent as possible. 

This caught Spinel's attention. She looked up to meet Aquamarine's eyes, "oh now you're interested?" Aquamarine teased, she leaned in closer to Spinel "I've got a few little weapons that can destroy the Earth and all of the gems that stand in your way! And you can have them!"

Spinel smiled at the thought of getting revenge, "Really? That sounds-" she stopped, "wait, what's in it for you?" Spinel narrowed her eyes. 

"Hm? Oh nothing... just if Steven- you know, the son of your ex-best friend- is out of the way that means we can get our Homeworld back to how it was meant to be!" Aquamarine flew around Spinel while speaking, "Plus, I'm sure you'd love all of us to be your friends~"

"Us?" Spinel questioned.

"The whole rebellion!" Aquamarine clarified, stretching her arms out to emphasize her point. 

"That's a lot of friends," Spinel said nervously, "you sure that everyone would even like me?" The pink gem said, looking back down at the ground below. 

"If you do this little task for me, I can GARENTEE that everyone will adore you!~" Aquamarine placed a small hand on Spinel's shoulder.

"But wait- why would killing Steven be getting revenge on Pink?" Spinel asked. 

"Uh, duh. Because Steven is Pink's son? It's the same gem anyways. If Pink left you on a space rock for 6,000 years, then so did Steven. He's still just Pink Diamond after all," Aquamarine answered with confidence. She lifted her hand off of Spinel's shoulder to drift back in front of her, "plus, wouldn't you want to get rid of all of Pink's other friends? She did replace you after all!"

"Yeah- yeah! She did replace me!" Spinel said, a lot less droopy than before.

"And she left you all alone, all so she could have the Earth to herself!" Aquamarine said, completely "innocent."

Spinel's brows furrowed upon hearing the word "Earth", "yeah! If she cares so much about the Earth, then maybe I should destroy it!!" 

Aquamarine smiled as she watched Spinel flow with rage, "yes, I certainly think you should! Now, follow me to the weapons. I'll even let you choose the model!~"

Spinel laid on the ground of the Palace, her stomach felt like a pit of nothingness as she remembered her "mission." The fake friendship she was promised from Aquamarine was only a facade to get Spinel to do what she said. What Aquamarine did was dirty, hitting her in the place it hurt most. Using Spinel like a piece in a game of chess. 

The pink gem sighed, accepting her fate to never have TRUE friends. It was impossible for her. Every time Spinel tried to love someone, they never felt the same. The Diamonds only cared for her because she reminds them of Pink. None of the Diamonds really cared about SPINEL, they were simply hanging onto the hope of replacing Pink. 

It only made Spinel feel more empty inside.


End file.
